Sports: Top Stories

Perfect Peyton: QB Manning sets up Denver-Seattle Super Bowl

The sky was Colorado blue and the stands were a bright, shining sea of orange.

Peyton Manning proved once again — as if he really ever had anything to prove — that he is one of the greats in NFL history. Champ Bailey finally is getting the trip of his lifetime. And Broncos fans, who screamed their voices raw, have another big party coming soon.

Sunday was indeed seventh heaven at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. And, yes, the Broncos are indeed going to the seventh Super Bowl in franchise history. Their authoritative 26-16 victory over the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game propelled them to Super Bowl XLVIII on Feb. 2 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

The Broncos will play the Seattle Seahawks, who defeated the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC championship game 23-17 on Sunday.

This will be the Broncos' first trip to the Super Bowl since John Elway was named MVP of Super Bowl XXXIII, then hung up his jersey for good. That was 15 years ago.

"I tell you what, it has been a terrific group. They have worked their tails off all season, and I'm excited for them," said Elway, now the Broncos' executive vice president of football operations and the architect of a team that improved to 15-3 by beating the Patriots.

The Broncos have an opportunity to win their third NFL championship, which would put them atop Denver's sports pantheon. The Avalanche has two NHL championships, while the Nuggets of the NBA and the Rockies of Major League Baseball still are waiting for their first.

There were no "This one's for Peyton!" cries after Sunday's game, but it was clear that his teammates were thrilled for their all-pro quarterback, who was nearly flawless against New England, passing for 400 yards and two touchdowns.

"It was amazing," said wide receiver Demaryius Thomas. "What can you say? To do that in the AFC championship game? Amazing."

Much was made of Manning's 4-10 career record against Patriots quarterback Tom Brady going into the game, but with a temperature of 63 degrees at the opening kickoff, it turned out to be a day at the beach.

Quarterback Peyton Manning holds the Lamar Hunt Trophy as he receives congratulations from coach John Fox, right, and John Elway, executive vice president of football operations, left. (Joe Amon, The Denver Post)

"The offense was great, led by a virtuoso performance by No. 18," said Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe, a former Broncos star who is an NFL analyst for CBS Sports. "And the defense played its best game of the season."

Though Brady finished with 277 yards passing, the Patriots didn't make it into the end zone until Denver had rolled to a 23-3 lead.

"I give the Broncos a lot of credit," Brady said. "They played really well. They are going to be tough to beat in a couple of weeks. And their offense played great. (That is) probably the best offense in NFL history."

Manning, as always, deflected personal praise, preferring to pass out his compliments. He went out of his way to salute the fans. "I thought they made a big difference, and I think they affected the Patriots," he said.

The game's official attendance was 77,110, making it the second-largest crowd in Broncos history. Only 44 tickets went unused.

"I don't think I've seen the fans in a frenzy like this since 1998," said former wide receiver Ed McCaffrey, a member of Denver's Super Bowl title teams in the 1997 and 1998 seasons.

Bailey, a lock for the Hall of Fame, finally will get to play in a Super Bowl after 15 years in the NFL.

"That's what it's all about — get yourself a chance to get in the big one," said Bailey, who missed much of this season with a foot injury but was back in Denver's starting lineup Sunday.

For Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, Feb. 2 will bring his sixth Super Bowl — tying him with Patriots owner Robert Kraft for most Super Bowl appearances by an owner in NFL history.

"This season shows you what a great franchise this is," McCaffrey said. "You have an owner who brings in John Elway, a guy who has already hoisted two Lombardi Trophies, then Elway goes out and gets Peyton Manning. He wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Elway.

"And then you have an owner who is committed to winning. Not every franchise can say that, in my opinion, but Pat has that kind of dedication. It was an amazing day for the Broncos, the city of Denver and all of Colorado."